[Federal Register Volume 85, Number 152 (Thursday, August 6, 2020)]
[Notices]
[Page 47758]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2020-17172]


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DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION

[Docket No.: ED-2020-SCC-0127]


Agency Information Collection Activities; Comment Request; PLUS 
Adverse Credit Reconsideration Loan Counseling

AGENCY: Federal Student Aid (FSA), Department of Education (ED).

ACTION: Notice.

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SUMMARY: In accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, ED is 
proposing a revision to an existing information collection.

DATES: Interested persons are invited to submit comments on or before 
October 5, 2020.

ADDRESSES: To access and review all the documents related to the 
information collection listed in this notice, please use http://www.regulations.gov by searching the Docket ID number ED-2020-SCC-0127. 
Comments submitted in response to this notice should be submitted 
electronically through the Federal eRulemaking Portal at http://www.regulations.gov by selecting the Docket ID number or via postal 
mail, commercial delivery, or hand delivery. If the regulations.gov 
site is not available to the public for any reason, ED will temporarily 
accept comments at [email protected]. Please include the docket ID 
number and the title of the information collection request when 
requesting documents or submitting comments. Please note that comments 
submitted by fax or email and those submitted after the comment period 
will not be accepted. Written requests for information or comments 
submitted by postal mail or delivery should be addressed to the 
Director of the Strategic Collections and Clearance Governance and 
Strategy Division, U.S. Department of Education, 400 Maryland Ave. SW, 
LBJ, Room 6W208D, Washington, DC 20202-8240.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: For specific questions related to 
collection activities, please contact Beth Grebeldinger, 202-377-4018.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The Department of Education (ED), in 
accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 (PRA) (44 U.S.C. 
3506(c)(2)(A)), provides the general public and Federal agencies with 
an opportunity to comment on proposed, revised, and continuing 
collections of information. This helps the Department assess the impact 
of its information collection requirements and minimize the public's 
reporting burden. It also helps the public understand the Department's 
information collection requirements and provide the requested data in 
the desired format. ED is soliciting comments on the proposed 
information collection request (ICR) that is described below. The 
Department of Education is especially interested in public comment 
addressing the following issues: (1) Is this collection necessary to 
the proper functions of the Department; (2) will this information be 
processed and used in a timely manner; (3) is the estimate of burden 
accurate; (4) how might the Department enhance the quality, utility, 
and clarity of the information to be collected; and (5) how might the 
Department minimize the burden of this collection on the respondents, 
including through the use of information technology. Please note that 
written comments received in response to this notice will be considered 
public records.
    Title of Collection: PLUS Adverse Credit Reconsideration Loan 
Counseling.
    OMB Control Number: 1845-0129.
    Type of Review: A revision of an existing information collection.
    Respondents/Affected Public: Individuals or Households.
    Total Estimated Number of Annual Responses: 142,824.
    Total Estimated Number of Annual Burden Hours: 107,119.
    Abstract: Section 428B(a)(1)(A) of the Higher Education Act of 
1965, as amended (HEA), provides that to be eligible to receive a 
Federal PLUS Loan under the Federal Family Education Loan (FFEL) 
Program, the applicant must not have an adverse credit history, as 
determined pursuant to regulations promulgated by the Secretary. In 
accordance with section 455(a)(1) of the HEA, this same eligibility 
requirement applies to applicants for PLUS loans under the Direct Loan 
Program. Since July 1, 2010 there have been no new FFEL Program loans 
originated and the Direct Loan Program is the only Federal loan program 
that offers Federal PLUS Loans.
    The adverse credit history section of the eligibility regulations 
in 34 CFR Sec.  685.200(b) and (c) were updated in 2014 by the 
Department of Education (the Department) when a review of and a change 
to the regulations was made. Specifically, an applicant for a PLUS loan 
who is determined to have an adverse credit history must complete loan 
counseling offered by the Secretary before receiving the Federal PLUS 
loan. The Department is requesting a revision to the information 
collection regarding the adverse credit history regulations in 34 CFR 
Sec.  685.200(b) and (c) and the burden these changes create for 
Federal PLUS loan borrowers, both parent and graduate/professional 
students.

    Dated: August 3, 2020.
Kate Mullan,
PRA Coordinator, Strategic Collections and Clearance Governance and 
Strategy Division, Office of Chief Data Officer, Office of Planning, 
Evaluation and Policy Development.
[FR Doc. 2020-17172 Filed 8-5-20; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4000-01-P